The present invention relates to an electrical connector, particularly to an electrical connector comprising a front housing and a main housing, with the front housing being configured to be received in a base. The invention particularly relates to the problem of the retention between the front housing and the main housing of the connector when disconnecting the connector and the base. The invention further relates to a main housing of an electrical connector, to a base and to an electrical connector assembly.
As is known in the prior art, electrical connector housings that are designed to electrically connect one or more conductors to a counterpart base generally comprise a plurality of parts manufactured using plastics technology techniques. It is known, particularly in the case of electrical connectors with a large number of channels, that the various parts that form the assembly of the connector housing require complex moulds, using removable or movable mould slides that can cross, as well as several moulding directions, thus making the moulding of these parts even more complex.
Therefore, there is a continuous requirement in plastics technology for simplifying the manufacture of the various parts that form the electrical connector housings, particularly for connectors comprising a large number of channels.
Such electrical connectors that are known in the prior art generally comprise a main housing and a front housing configured to be received and fixed in the main housing, with the front housing being the part of the connector comprising the terminals and which is therefore configured to be received in the base. Furthermore, the electrical connectors that are known in the prior art can further comprise a rear housing and a cover, with the cover comprising the locking system allowing the connector assembly to be locked to the base, and the rear housing allowing the one or more electrical conductors to be guided from the cover toward the main housing.
In addition to the constraints that exist for moulding these various elements, there is also a problem associated with the retention between the main housing and the front housing when disconnecting the connector from its base. In effect, if the retention force between the main housing and the front housing is not sufficient, it is possible for the front housing to remain housed in the base instead of remaining rigidly connected to the front housing during disconnection. The problem of retention is even greater if the connector and its base have a large number of channels.
Therefore, in the prior art the use of hook systems is known, which systems allow the front housing to be retained with the main housing, including when disconnecting the connector from its base. In particular, it is known in the prior art for these retention hooks to be arranged on the periphery of the front housing and to hook onto suitable openings on the periphery of the main housing in order to lock these two elements together.
However, in the case of electrical connectors for sealed applications, particularly in the automotive industry, such a system proves to be a disadvantage due to the presence of one or more seals arranged on one or more peripheries of the main housing, which seals are generally referred to as “interface” or “peripheral” seals. In effect, the moulding element of the support surface of the peripheral seal can then be crossed by the elements that mould the attachment zones of the front housing or the support surface of the peripheral seal even can be moulded by two or more elements that can generate seam lines at their junction. The traces, namely burrs, thus generated on the support surface of the peripheral seal present leakage risks. Therefore, there is a risk of degradation to the seal of such connector housings that are known in the prior art.
Thus, in addition to the moulding constraints associated with the aforementioned plastics technology techniques, there is a requirement, particularly in the automotive industry, for providing electrical connector housing elements with a plurality of channels that can be used for sealed applications, particularly in restricted spaces, so as to maintain the seal of the connector.